With the COVID-19 crisis causing a shortage of personal protective equipment, one New York roofing contractor put on his thinking cap — or rather, his snorkel mask — and came upon a creative way to protect healthcare workers.
Hans Hass, owner of Alpine Metal Roofing in Sidney, NY, heard stories of nurses having to reuse N95 masks for days on end to protect themselves. Having used N95 masks in his own construction career, he knew they weren’t designed for extended use. He found himself messing around with a full-face snorkel mask he purchased around two months ago when an idea struck him.